Of Bells and Tulips
by lets-talk-appella
Summary: Chloe's bored at the flower shop she works at with Aubrey. That is, until a new, "alternative" customer walks through the door. For Bechloe Week 2019-Co-workers.


**For Bechloe Week 2019 - Co-workers**

* * *

The bell over the door jangles sharply, startling Chloe and making her look up from her typical Friday afternoon boredom doodle. A girl about her age rushes into the flower shop, all wild brunette hair and dark clothing, and whips off her sunglasses to scan the admittedly small collection of flowers on display.

"Uh… you want this one, or should I take it?" Aubrey, Chloe's co-worker, whispers with a nod at the girl, who is now staring at some daisies as though they'd personally offended her. "She looks a little… alternative."

"Aubrey!" Chloe hisses. "Be nice!"

"Alternative" is most definitely not the word Chloe would have chosen to describe the girl. Edgy, brooding, angsty, maybe. Hot, definitely. Chloe lets her eyes travel down the brunette's body, taking in her dark boots, fitting jeans, and purple flannel. The look works, especially combined with her dark hair and pale skin.

Yep. Hot is the right word.

"I'll take it," Chloe whispers back to Aubrey, then breezes around the counter to step onto the main floor of the shop. "Hi, my name is Chloe," she introduces herself as she walks over to the customer. "How can I help you?"

"Oh, um," the girl's eyes jump up to meet her own. They seem to widen, and Chloe can't help noticing what a beautiful shade of blue they are. "No, I'm good. Thanks."

"Okay, then, just let me know if you need anything," Chloe chirps back in her standard higher-than-normal "customer service voice," trying not to place any extra emphasis on the "anything" part of her sentence.

Maybe the emphasis comes across anyway, because the girl's eyebrows lift slightly. After a beat, she gives a very tight, sarcastic-looking smile that clearly says, "_I'd like to be left alone, thanks_."

Chloe takes the hint and backs away, moving down the aisle to the orchids to give them water, even though she'd already watered them that morning. She glances up to where Aubrey still waits behind the cash register, frowning down at the homework she'd been plugging away at.

There's no one else in the store besides the girl, who hasn't moved.

Normally, Chloe wouldn't push a customer. She knows that people like their personal space, and sometimes especially when shopping. But the girl had rushed into the store like her boots were on fire, and the way she looks at the flowers is almost a sure sign she has no idea which to choose.

Plus, she is really, really hot.

So, Chloe clears her throat. "See anything you like?" she asks as innocently as she can manage.

"Um." The girl blinks, looking for all the world like a deer caught in the headlights. "I'd like to buy flowers."

"Oh, totes!" Chloe steps forward excitedly, leaving the overwatered orchids behind. "You're definitely in the right place. So were you thinking roses, carnations, daisies, sunflowers… maybe tulips or lilies? Or—oh! Orchids! Orchids are the tits."

The girl takes a step back, looking slightly alarmed. "Oh. Um. I don't really…" she shrugs uncomfortably, her eyes flicking around the store. "Is there a difference?"

Chloe can't stop the smile from breaking out over her face. "There's a difference, yes. That's why I'm here! To help you with whatever you need."

"Right… so you're, like, the flower expert."

"Yeah! Well, sort of. Not really," Chloe says with a shrug.

The girl looks more freaked out than ever. "Then who are you?"

"I'm Chloe," Chloe repeats. "You are?"

From across the room, Aubrey tuts impatiently, but Chloe pointedly ignores her. The girl's eyes flash over to where Aubrey stands, then return to Chloe's face. "I'm Beca. But that's not what I… do you, like, own this place?"

Beca. That's a really nice name. It suits her, Chloe thinks.

"Oh, pfft, no," Chloe waves her hand. "No, Aubrey and I just work here to earn some money. We go to Barden."

Beca's lips lift into a smirk. "Aubrey looks kinda grumpy," she whispers, leaning in.

Chloe leans in even further, to the point where she knows she could probably be written up for some sort of harassment thing. Whatever. Beca doesn't seem to mind. "Don't worry about Aubrey," she says. "Her parents just didn't take her out of the shrink wrap."

"I don't know what that means," Beca replies with a wink before leaning away. "And I go to Barden, too, actually. Unfortunately."

Something in Beca's tone catches at Chloe. "Why unfortunately?"

"Oh, uh," Beca looks down and shuffles her feet, as if she hadn't meant to say anything. It's adorable. "I'd rather be in L.A., producing music."

Chloe's pretty sure she falls in love with Beca at that exact moment. "Oh my God!" she shrieks, and Beca takes another step back (which Chloe utterly disregards, taking her own step forward). "That's so cool! I _love _music!" She's gushing, and she knows it, but she can't quite make herself stop.

"Wow, yeah, that's really—"

"Aubrey and I are actually in an a cappella group together, the Barden Bellas! We're the tits," Chloe promises.

Beca smiles uncertainly. "I thought orchids were the tits."

Chloe nods. "Both are the tits."

"Great…" Beca's smile widens, and Chloe feels like Beca might be making fun of her. Only a little, though. "So, yeah, a cappella, that's… like, a thing now."

"It's aca-mazing," Chloe emphasizes, reaching out to grab Beca's wrist briefly before letting go. She takes it as a good sign that Beca doesn't immediately scream at her or jerk away. Over Beca's shoulder, Chloe sees Aubrey's eyes widen and her mouth fall open. Chloe ignores her.

Beca's lips purse, but she doesn't say anything. Instead, she turns back to the flowers. "Uh, well, so I should probably…"

"Right!" Chloe says. "What's the occasion? That might help decide. Like you don't wanna bring sunflowers to a funeral!"

Oh my God. Had she really just said that?

Instead of looking at her like she's crazy, though, Beca smirks again. "Well, depends on whose funeral, doesn't it?"

Christ, hot and witty? The urge to kiss the smirk from Beca's lips is overwhelming. That, however, would most definitely be a violation of store policy, so Chloe manages to restrain herself.

"No, not a funeral," Beca continues, returning to scanning the bunches of flowers laid out. "A date. Some girl I matched with on Tinder. We're getting together for the first time in, like, fifteen minutes."

Disappointment slides down Chloe's throat to land heavily in her stomach. When she doesn't immediately reply, Beca glances at her, eyebrows drawn together in concern.

"Is that—"

"She's a lucky girl!" Chloe exclaims much too enthusiastically. "Um, flowers are really perfect. Some girl I used to date really liked, uh, daisies."

Chloe's totally pulling this out of her ass, but it seems to work because the tension leaves Beca's face. Behind her, Aubrey drops her face into her hands.

"So… daisies?" Beca asks, blinking several times. "I was kinda thinking, like, roses."

"Oh, I mean, yeah. If I were you, though, I'd go with tulips."

"Not daisies?"

"Forget the daisies," Chloe waves her hand. "Tulips."

Beca's lips twitch. "Why? So I can use one of the assortments of tulip-related puns?"

"No, but that would work," Chloe smiles right back. "I was just thinking roses are overdone. And tulips are my favorite flower, so."

"So that settles it," Beca says, rocking back on her heels and gesturing to the wide variety of flowers in front of her. "Um, which ones are…"

"These ones!" Chloe says brightly, reaching for the nearest bundle of tulips. They're all different colors—orange, yellow, and pink—but Beca doesn't seem to mind. "I'll ring these up for you," she says, and leads Beca back to the cash register.

Aubrey steps aside with a close-lipped smile, one that Beca returns somewhat tersely. Chloe wants to roll her eyes at the both of them.

"So that'll be $15, but I'm going to give you the 'first-time customer' discount."

Aubrey clears her throat. "Chloe, we don't have—"

"And that brings your total to $7!" Chloe says loudly. "Will you be using cash or card today?"

Beca stares at her for maybe an extra heartbeat than what might be considered socially acceptable, but she doesn't say anything. She pays for the flowers, smiles at Chloe, lifts her eyebrows at Aubrey, and then turns and walks out the door, the bell jingling somewhat forlornly (Chloe thinks) as it closes behind her.

"Chloe—"

"I know, I know!" Chloe throws her hands up in the air and whirls to Aubrey. "It's stupid, and pathetic, and she's seeing someone, and I should definitely be doing my very best to forget she ever existed, but—"

"I was just gonna say," Aubrey cuts her off, hands raised placatingly, "I'll pay the difference on those flowers. And, uh, be careful. She's… just be careful, okay?"

The volume of the squeal Chloe emits as she flings her arms around her best friend is unprecedented and is likely only a few decibels short from shattering the front window of the shop.

* * *

Chloe isn't a stalker. She's really, really not.

Just because she did a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram search for anyone named Beca, Becca, Rebeca, or Rebecca in the Barden area does not make her a stalker. It also doesn't make her a stalker if she had, throughout the course of the week since she'd met Beca, been keeping an eagle eye out for that long brown hair anywhere on campus, occasionally following the odd girl that maybe sort of looks like Beca from behind.

Okay, maybe she's kind of a stalker.

But even after a week of using her best creeping skills, Chloe has yet to track down one tulip-purchasing, Tinder-girl-dating Beca. Aubrey had even helped, though very half-heartedly, and also had seen no sign of her on Barden's campus. So, Chloe had reluctantly decided that it was time to move on and had started debating the merits of reinstalling Tinder on her phone.

So she's more than a little surprised when, halfway through her and Aubrey's next Friday afternoon shift at the flower shop, the bell jangles merrily and Beca waltzes right in.

Chloe jolts upright, excitement firing through her. "Hey! Hi, hey, how's it going?"

Beca smiles at her, making a beeline for the flower display. "Happy to see me?"

"Oh, I was just, uh, it's kinda boring here," Chloe says quickly, trying to play it cool. She can tell by the way Beca looks at her that she doesn't believe that for a second.

Chloe glances at Aubrey, silently pleading, and with an eye roll and an exasperated sigh, Aubrey steps away, mumbling something about checking stock on the other side of the store.

"Uh huh," Beca says, plucking a bouquet of tulips from the assembled pile and moving to the cash register. "I'm happy to see you, too, Chlo."

Chloe's stomach flutters at the nickname, and an unfamiliar warmth creeps into her cheeks. To cover her rising blush, she reaches for the bouquet, scanning them.

"So, is there anything else I can help you with today?" Chloe asks, wanting any excuse to keep talking to Beca.

However, Beca's already reaching for her wallet. "No, actually, that's it," she replies, running a hand through her hair. "I've kinda gotta take these to another girl, so…"

Chloe's stomach drops. "Oh. Uh, another date with…?"

"Hmm?" Beca glances up from her wallet. "Oh, no, last week was horrible."

"Really?" Chloe asks, hearing the surprise in her own voice. "I mean, you just seemed… so…excited..." she trails off, gesturing pointlessly with her hands.

"Did I?" Beca frowns, then her expression clears. "I mean, all she did was talk about herself. Like, we were having coffee for_ two hours_, and she didn't ask me a single question. And she expected me to pay for everything. I don't think she even liked the flowers."

"Well that should tell you right there. Bad egg."

"Definitely."

"So, um, these are for someone else?" Chloe asks, even though Beca had already said as much. Still, she can always hope.

Beca shrugs, not quite meeting Chloe's eyes. "Yeah, I'm gonna ask her out with them. We just met, but… I think we have a connection, or whatever."

"Oh, well," Chloe swallows her disappointment. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Beca huffs, looking down. "And, um, I can pay the full price, you don't have to make up discounts for me tonight," she grins crookedly. "I think Aubrey would strangle us."

"I would!" Aubrey's disembodied voice calls from somewhere behind the ferns.

Beca's grin widens and she hands over the full amount for the bouquet. She picks up the flowers and turns to leave.

An insane urge hits Chloe then, one that would have her vault the counter, grab hold of Beca's hand, and ask her out on the spot, before Beca can get to whoever this strange, random, and probably unattractive girl is.

"Wait!" Chloe blurts, and Beca pauses. "Um… would you be interested in a sale on the Ficus?"

Beca looks completely bewildered. Chloe doesn't blame her.

"I… is that a kind of tree?"

"Yes, it is! Sort of. Um, there's a sale."

Chloe really wishes the floor could swallow her up right about now.

Beca lifts her eyebrows. "I think I'm good, thanks. Have a good night, Chlo."

"I… you too, Bec," Chloe sighs, her heart giving a particularly hard beat at the way Beca's face seems to light up at the new nickname. Then Beca turns around, the bell jingles, and she's gone.

Chloe releases a deep groan, burying her face in her hands even as she hears Aubrey bustling back to the counter.

"Ficus?" she hisses. "Chloe, what the hell?! I thought you were gonna ask her out! Why didn't you?"

"She's seeing someone else," Chloe grumbles into her hands, fuming with herself.

"Not _yet_," Aubrey says, and Chloe can picture her exasperated expression. "I'm tired of you moping. Go after her and—"

The bell above the door jingles.

Chloe looks up through her fingers to see Beca walking in again, something held awkwardly behind her back.

"Did you forget something?" Chloe asks, picking herself up and trying to act like a sane, rational person rather than someone who had just been moaning into her own hands. Aubrey has already vanished, somehow having shrunk back into the shrubbery.

"No, I didn't," Beca says, walking right up to the cash register.

"Then wh—"

Beca pulls the bouquet of tulips from behind her back and presents it to Chloe. Her fingers tremble just slightly and when Chloe looks up, she almost seems… nervous. "So, uh," Beca starts, "we may not know each other very well yet, but I've got two-lips for you. Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Chloe stares for a long moment. "That… might be the worst pun I've ever heard."

Beca laughs and shifts her weight. "Yeah, I mean. It's pretty bad."

"Like. Wow."

Beca's eyebrows start to draw together again. "But, uh, the date?"

"Oh!" Chloe could seriously smack herself. "Yes! Yes, I'd love to go on a date."

Beca exhales as if she'd been holding her breath and sends Chloe the biggest smile she's seen from her. "Cool."

With the sudden sound of rustling leaves, Aubrey reemerges from the plants. "Listen, midget, Chloe's my best friend and if you hurt her—"

"Aubrey!" Chloe hisses. "It's fine!"

"Chloe, I'm just—"

"I won't hurt her," Beca promises. "Really. If I do, I'll walk back here so you can murder me yourself, okay?"

Aubrey stares at her a moment before nodding once. "Deal."

"Cool," Beca says again before looking back at Chloe. "So, uh, the flowers are for you, and, um, if you'd like, I can wait outside until your shift is over? Like on a bench?"

"Perfect," Chloe smiles, taking the tulips from Beca. "See you soon?"

"Definitely," Beca grins, turning to leave the shop.

The bell jingles on her way out, and to Chloe, its chime has never sounded so beautiful.


End file.
